Gardens To Feed Veterans In Need Get Assist From Brick Eagle Scout

BRICK, NJ — Rafael Gonzales knows that food insecurity is a tremendous problem for many people these days. There is one group of people in particular who face it and often struggle in silence.

"Food insecurity is a problem that veterans really struggle with," Rafael, 17, of Brick, said recently. He made it his mission to help, and in 2021 the Brick Township High School senior led the rebuilding of the Victory Garden at American Legion Post 129 in Toms River.

Rafael's project, which earned him his Eagle Scout award, now is under consideration for the Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Conservation Award. That award honors projects that conserve natural resources and address a local issue. He is a member of Boy Scout Troop 39 of Brick and Venturing Crew 129 in Toms River.

In Ocean County, nearly 59,000 people were faced with food insecurity in 2020, nearly 10 percent of the county's population, according to Feeding America, a national organization that tracks food insecurity and supports more than 200 food banks across the nation that are helping to feed those in need.

Food insecurity was a problem before the coronavirus pandemic, including for the veterans who relied on the Victory Garden at American Legion 129. The pandemic exacerbated the problem, putting thousands more people in need, including veterans; Ocean County has one of the largest populations of veterans in the nation outside of Florida.

Rafael said he chose the Victory Garden project because helping veterans is important to him; his father is a veteran who served in the U.S. Army during the Persian Gulf War. Seeing people struggle to have enough food to eat after serving their country is something that shouldn't happen.

Over the course of three days, Rafael and his team of about 20 volunteers rebuilt and added beds at the Legion's existing garden site. Rafael and other scouts filled them with soil, planted seeds and assisted with the upkeep of the beds, he said.

"We go monthly to help maintain them," he said.

As a result, volunteers were able to harvest 800 pounds of fresh produce that was distributed to local veterans struggling with food insecurity. It was double the amount of produce that was harvested from the Legion's garden prior to Rafael's project, his mother said. In all there were nearly 190 hours of service involved in the project.

"Any way I can make it so they don’t have to worry as much, I want to help," Rafael said.

Patch has partnered with Feeding America since 2020 to help raise awareness in our local communities of hunger, a persistent national problem exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that 1 in 8 people face hunger. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.